Lean on me
by RedButterfly33
Summary: Lisa Fawley and Dorcas Meadowes have been best friends ever since the very first potion class they shared in first year. Despite one being a Gryffindor and the other a Slytherin, they stick by each other through thick and thin, through Death Eaters and detentions, laughing in the face of adversity (One-shots in no particular chronological order).
1. Threats

**Written for the Let your OCs run Free! challenge.**

 **Pink** – Your OC is being pressured into becoming a Death Eater.

 **OC used** – Lisa Fawley, appearing otherwise in **There doesn't have to be a reason** and **More Than a Feeling**.

 **Prompts:**

19\. (Dialogue) "Just try to stop me!"

17\. (Word) amusement

14\. (Sentence) The snow covered grounds made the whole scene look like something right out of a Fairy Tale.

12\. (Word) charming

15\. (Word) pretend

* * *

 **January 1976**

Finally!

The winter break was finally over, and Lisa was able to return to Hogwarts, eager to get away from the never-ending string of relatives and her extremely annoying younger sister. But, of course, what she wanted most was to meet up with her best friend, Dorcas Meadowes. It had only been a few weeks since they'd seen each other, but it honestly felt like decades.

Luckily, she didn't have to wait long. It hadn't even been ten minutes since she'd walked into the Entrance Hall, when Dorcas' broad smile appeared out of nowhere and Lisa found herself suffocating in her friend's silky mass of black hair, while a pair of arms circled her neck.

"Cass, I can't breathe," she wheezed, but her mouth was also stretched in a wide grin.

"Sorry," Dorcas said hastily, loosening her grip. "I've just had a horrible break. I'm so glad you're back!"

"You? Try being smothered by tight, fancy dress robes and talking to old relatives, whose names you don't even remember! How bad can a winter break at Hogwarts be?"

"You forget who I had to spend it with," Dorcas said with a scowl. "Lestrange and his little court of gits were in the common room pretty much the entire time. I took to wandering the halls aimlessly the last couple of days, just to get away. I can't _stand_ it when they start talking about what's happening outside as if it's the greatest thing since the invention of the Cure for Boils."

Lisa gave her friend a sympathetic look. Her housemates may be annoying at times, but at least she didn't _hate_ any of them. Well, maybe James Potter and Sirius Black stuck their toes outside the line occasionally, but they never outright crossed it. And anyway, their hijinks were at least amusing, instead of bigoted and racist.

"You wanna go for a walk?" Lisa offered, feeling a little silly just standing in the middle of the Entrance Hall. Dorcas nodded and the two girls walked through the heavy oak doors and into the chilly January air.

The snow covered grounds made the whole scene look like something right out of a Fairy Tale. The lake was smooth as glass, the hills were covered in a deep blanket of snow, and even the Whomping Willow was iced in white. Hagrid's hut looked like the picture on a holiday greeting card, with its homey fire flickering inside and the smoke coming from the chimney.

"I don't know how I ever let my parents talk me into going home," Lisa said, her eyes lingering on Hagrid in his heavy winter coat, trying to clean a path from his hut to the castle. He waved at them, and they waved back. "Hogwarts is very pretty during the winter. Besides, I'd much rather be here to keep you company, instead of listening to Great Uncle Canopus going on and on about the decline in quality of cauldron bottoms."

"Yes, but if you had stayed, you'd have to deal with _them_ the entire break," Dorcas grinned, inclining her head to the left.

Lisa threw a glance in that direction and saw James, Sirius, Peter and Remus, throwing snowballs at each other and causing a ruckus. James spotted them and waved enthusiastically, when a well-aimed projectile from Remus hit him straight in the cheek. The snow exploded against his face, as Sirius' laugh echoed through the empty grounds, until James silenced him with another ball, right in the mouth. The three boys laughed heartily, as Sirius was spitting snow and making faces. The girls giggled and continued on their way along the lake.

"You know they've actually come up with idiotic nicknames for each other? They call themselves 'The Marauders' now," Lisa said, causing Dorcas to erupt in laughter.

"Well, it fits them, you can't deny that."

"It does. It would also fit my sister! Maybe she'll join them when she comes to Hogwarts in two years and makes my life a living hell! She seriously made me contemplate taking a Draught of Living Death and just faking a heart attack or something."

"I do not get what your problem is. Julie is adorable."

"You're only saying that because you see her maybe once or twice a year. I have to live with her _every second_ I spend at home! I haven't had a moment to myself in the last two weeks! Everywhere I go, she follows, and never stops talking, and whining, and asking questions, and being a general pain in the bum!"

"A bigger pain than Lestrange?" Dorcas asked with a slight smirk.

"Speaking of Lestrange..."

The two girls stopped walking and looked on wearily, as a group of Slytherin boys approached them through the snow. Front and center was Rabastan Lestrange, of course, flanked by Travers and Goyle, two other seventh years. Behind them was the gang of fifth years, Avery, Mulciber, Snape, Rosier and Wilkes. Lisa's hand gripped the wand in her pocket. If they were coming in full ensemble, it couldn't mean anything good.

"Hello, dear cousin," Lestrange began courteously. Lisa couldn't help the frown that appeared on her face. She and Lestrange were _very_ distant cousins, and that was only because technically all the pureblood families were related in some way. By that logic, James and Sirius were both her cousins too.

"Rabastan," she said coldly, giving him a slight nod of acknowledgement. "Is there something you want?"

"There is indeed," he said, shooting a quick look at Dorcas. "I believe your friend has already told you what was discussed in our common room a few days ago?"

"Believe it or not, Lestrange, we actually have more pleasant things to talk about than your schemes," Dorcas said bitingly.

His eyebrow quirked up at the word 'schemes', but he ignored her and turned to Lisa again.

"In that case, let me elaborate. There is a certain political movement spreading outside the walls of Hogwarts, which we are a part of. We are working towards the betterment of the wizarding world, where those of superior blood are recognized for their status, the way it should be. We are willing to extend an invitation to you, seeing as you are the Heir of an old, respected wizarding family. All of pure blood are welcome."

Lisa had to keep back a snort. Political movement? What a charming way to describe a racist cult.

"Yes, I've heard of your 'movement'. I'm sorry to say that I must decline. With O.W.L.s coming up, I just don't think I'll have the time to commit to exterminating muggle-borns."

Lestrange's confident smirk fell.

"This offer is not being made lightly, Fawley. Consider your answer carefully."

"I don't have to consider anything," Lisa growled, dropping all pretense of formality. Dorcas threw her a quick look and wrapped her fingers around the back of her friend's robes. Everyone knew Lisa was prone to outbursts, but two on eight were not odds Dorcas was itching to take, especially with Snape, Rosier and Lestrange in the mix.

"She gave you her answer. Now sod off," Dorcas said coldly. Lestrange's stormy grey eyes shifted to her for a moment.

"This doesn't exactly concern you, half-blood," he said, before turning to Lisa again. "You really should be more open-minded. Think about what this would mean for you. You can make a lot of connections, meet powerful people. And if our leader likes your work, there are certain... rewards."

"And what would that work entail? Torturing muggles for my own amusement?" Lisa spat, her balled up fists beginning to shake with anger. Dorcas' grip on her robes tightened.

"Among other things," Lestrange smirked slightly. Lisa's temper flared up instantly, and she was just about to pull out her wand, when a snowball blindsided the Slytherin from the left, causing him to stagger from the strength of the impact.

"Sorry about that," came the merry voice of James Potter, as he and his friends approached through the snow, faces red and clothes wet from the snowball fight. "Hey, Fawley, Malcolm said to tell you the new Quidditch practice schedule was posted in the common room this morning. He's really gearing up to win the Cup this year." He paused and looked at each Slytherin (minus Dorcas) in turn. "Everything all right here?"

"Yes. They were just leaving," Lisa said, glaring daggers into Lestrange. He threw a contemptuous glance at the Marauders, but after a short contemplation inclined his head to the castle and his posse turned to leave, though not before giving them their own venomous glares.

"You shouldn't be so quick to reject such an offer, Fawley. Insolence can have... consequences," Lestrange said as he was turning away. "Oh, how rude of me, I almost forgot to inquire after your family. Your sister turns nine in February, doesn't she? I'll be sure to send her my... regards."

The Slytherins walked away, leaving Lisa to gape after them in shock. It took her a few moments to recover, and the wand whipped out of her pocket.

"What do you think you're doing?" Dorcas hissed, grasping her wrist.

"What does it look like? You heard him! He just threatened my sister!"

"And what are you going to do, hex him?"

"Just try to stop me!"

"Lisa, do you honestly think this will help?" came a calming voice from her right, and she faintly registered it belonged to Remus. "If anything, he'll be more likely to target her, to get revenge on you."

The blood was thumping in Lisa's ears, but she lowered her wand. He had a point.

"So what am I supposed to do? Pretend it didn't happen?"

"Alert your parents," Remus said. "Tell them to keep a close eye on your sister, and to be careful."

Lisa sighed deeply, but tucked her wand back in the pocket of her robes and ran her fingers through her long, blonde hair.

"Thanks for the snowball," Dorcas said to James, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"Don't look at me, that one's on Moony," he replied with a casual shrug. Remus looked down and away, seeming extremely uncomfortable.

"Moony? Who the hell is that?" Dorcas cocked an eyebrow quizzically.

"It's Remus," Lisa explained, a small smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I told you they came up with moronic nicknames for themselves this year. Remus is Moony, Peter is Prongs, James is Padfoot and Sirius is Wormtail."

The four boys exchanged dumbfounded glances, and then James, Peter and Remus exploded in laughter, while Sirius threw Lisa an incredulous look.

" _I'm_ Padfoot! How can you confuse me for _Peter_?"

"Sorry," Lisa said, rolling her eyes. "Your nicknames make no sense. You can't expect me to remember who is who."

Sirius opened his mouth to say something, but James quickly slapped his hand over it.

"Excuse him. I think that snowball he took to the head might've damaged his brain. Come on, _Wormtail_ , let's get you checked out," James said, barely containing his laughter. Sirius groaned audibly.

"Oh, no. This is gonna be a thing now, isn't it?"

"I'm sure I have no idea what you mean, Wormtail," Remus said, keeping a completely straight face. James and Peter sniggered, and Sirius groaned again.

"See you at practice, Fawley," James threw over his shoulder, patted Sirius on the back and led him back to the castle.

"Bye, Lisa!" Peter chirped and hurried after them. Remus gave her a small smile and a wave, and followed as well.

"You totally have the hots for him," Dorcas said, as the two of them waved back.

"The hots for who?"

"Lupin."

Lisa threw a look at her friend and laughed.

"What? No, I don't, he's just one of James' friends. We're only classmates."

"Uh-huh." Dorcas smiled knowingly and continued down the snow-covered path. "Because you'd listen to any of your classmates like that. I didn't even know it was possible to make you lower your wand with nothing but words."

"What are you talking about? Yes it is!" Lisa protested, trying to catch up to her friend.

"I have yet to see it from someone other than him. And his nickname was the only one you didn't get wrong," the Slytherin added teasingly.

"That doesn't mean anything!"

"Whatever you say."

* * *

~oOo~

Lisa followed Remus' advice the very next day. She spent the whole evening composing her kilometer-long letter, trying to emphasize to her father that this wasn't some silly prank. Yes, she complained about Julie a lot, and the little girl was a bouncing ball of annoyance, but just the thought of those tossers raising a wand against her was enough to send Lisa into both rage and panic at the same time. Younger sisters are a nightmare, but you still can't help but love them.

"Thought I'd find you here," Dorcas said, sliding down into a chair next to her friend later in the afternoon. Although Lisa was considered a 'jock' because of her love of Quidditch, the Library was her favorite place in Hogwarts. Dorcas often wondered how she could read so much and still barely scrape Es in most subjects.

"Where else would I be?" Lisa quipped, putting down _Flesh-Eating Trees of the World_.

"In the Owlery, sending that letter, like Lupin told you to," the Slytherin smirked.

"Just did it this morning," Lisa tried to smile. Dorcas immediately knew something wasn't right, but before she could even ask, her friend looked down at her book and spoke. "Do you really think they would?"

"What?"

"Do you really think they would. Harm my sister, I mean," Lisa clarified, meeting her gaze.

"No," Dorcas replied immediately.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Julie's blood is just as pure as yours. They don't want to 'spill magical blood'. If it was Rodolphus, maybe I'd be worried, but Rabastan can't put his money where his mouth is. He's just trying to scare you into joining."

Lisa looked down at her book again and her hands balled into fists.

"What if... what if it works? What if they really do manage to hurt Julie? Or you?"

"It _won't_ work," Dorcas said confidently, squeezing Lisa's shoulder. "I've managed to survive in Slytherin for five years; two more won't be a problem. And if they do hurt a hair on Julie's head, I'll turn them into slugs in their sleep." Lisa let out a shaky laugh, but Dorcas kept a completely straight face.

"Wait... are you serious?"

"Nobody threatens my best friend's sister," the Slytherin said ominously. "They're off the hook for now, because they haven't actually done anything, but the _second_ they try something on you or your family, they won't even know what hit them."

Lisa gaped at her friend for a couple of minutes, a little surprised at the intensity of that statement. Then she threw her arms around Dorcas' neck, trying to fight back the tears that were suddenly burning in her throat.


	2. Clubs

**Written for the Camp Hogwarts challenge, Cabin Longbottom.**

 **Task** : Singing - Write about being a member of the toad choir (100 points)

* * *

 **February 1974**

"What's with you?" Dorcas asked, sitting down next to Lisa at their usual desk right before History of Magic. "You look like someone died. Oh no. Did someone die?"

"Only my dignity," Lisa grumbled, pushing a piece of parchment towards her friend. Dorcas took it and her eyes skimmed its contents. A smirk tugged at the right corner of her mouth and she gave Lisa a questioning look.

"Your mum calls you Lisbug? That _is_ pretty embarrassing, but I think your dignity will live."

"Not that," Lisa groaned. "She wants me to join a club."

"A club? Aren't you already in the Slug Club?"

"Slughorn ran into my dad in Diagon Alley last week, and now she knows I avoid that like the plague. She can't monitor how often I go to those 'parties', so I have to join a real club and 'get to know my peers'. Merlin, kill me now."

"What's the big deal? It wouldn't hurt you to mingle with people a little more."

Lisa threw Dorcas a venomous glare. "You know I hate forced socializing. I get enough of that at home."

"No one said it had to be forced," Dorcas reasoned. "It's just a chance to meet new people."

"I know enough people!" Lisa exploded. "What she wants me to do is make _connections_ , and we both know it! I don't care about wizarding society, and I refuse to make 'friends' just so they could possibly serve some purpose in the future! Collecting acquaintances like stamps, as if there's some sort of trophy for knowing the most people!"

"You're overreacting. It's just a club."

"I don't care! It's hypocritical and pretentious, and I don't want to do it!"

"So then don't. Your mother can't force your hand."

"Read the fourth paragraph," Lisa growled, her hand clutching at the quill she was holding so hard it broke in half. Dorcas turned her eyes back to the letter.

" _If you continue to be so stubborn, your father and I will cancel the trip this summer_ ," she read aloud and looked back at her friend curiously. "What trip is that?"

"It's the World Cup!" Lisa exclaimed angrily. "They're blackmailing me! If I don't join a stupid student club, they won't take me to the Finals!"

Dorcas had to hold back a chuckle. The appeal of Quidditch was never very clear to her, but she knew Lisa was passionate about it for some reason.

"Woe is you. I guess you have no choice then," she said, barely containing her snickering.

"You guess right," Lisa mumbled dejectedly. "The only way I'll get to see the Cup is if I compromise my own principles."

"Again, you're overreacting. It's not like they're making you terrorize muggles. All you have to do is attend a meeting every now and then. It could be worse."

"Every now and then for almost _half a year_ ," Lisa said through gritted teeth. "Four bloody months of pretending to enjoy something I don't, and talking to people I have no interest in knowing."

"So join something you like. That way at least you'll be having fun."

"If there was a club I liked, I'd be a member by now."

"Come on, there has to be something." Dorcas took out a quill and wrote down the names of all the school clubs she could think of, then began reading them one by one.

"Potions Club."

"Nah, I don't really care about potions."

"Astronomy Club."

"They meet late at night. I'm not sure I want to be sleep deprived until the end of the year."

"Art Club."

"You know I can't draw."

"Rat Race Club."

"I don't have a rat."

"Knitting Club."

"Not on your life."

"Muggle Club."

"That disbanded a few years back."

"Gobstone Club." Lisa gave her a weird are-you-insane sort of look. "Okay, so not that one. Dueling Club?"

"Ugh, no way, I cannot stomach that Ravenclaw, McLaggen. If I have to hear about his Aspen wand _one more time_ , I'm gonna—"

"How about the Frog Choir, then?"

"I can't sing."

"Yes, you can. I've heard you hum."

"Humming and singing are not the same thing."

"It's enough to get you into the Choir. All you have to be able to do is carry a tune. That shouldn't be too hard."

"Cass, I'm not joining the Frog Choir."

"Why not?"

That was when Professor Binns slid through the blackboard and began his long monotone speech on the Goblin Wars. Dorcas tore off a piece of parchment, wrote something on it and slid it over to Lisa.

 ** _What's wrong with the Frog Choir?_**

Lisa hesitated, but took out her spare quill and scribbled below,

 _The Choir is for dorks._

Dorcas read the words and frowned.

 ** _Says who?_**

 _Says everyone._

 ** _And since when did 'everyone' become so important?_**

Lisa's face turned red. She didn't write anything, so Dorcas drew the parchment to her again and jotted down:

 ** _If we listened to 'everyone', we wouldn't be friends._**

Forehead creasing in a deep frown, Lisa stared at the words. For a long while she just looked at the parchment before inking her quill again.

 _Frog Choir it is. We'll sign up after class._

Dorcas raised an eyebrow amusedly.

 ** _We?_**

 _Yes, we. You're a much better singer than I am, and that way I'll at least manage to have a little bit of fun. Unless you care what everyone thinks?_

Dorcas smirked.

 ** _After class then._**

* * *

 **April 1974**

 _Double, double toil and trouble;_

 _Fire burn and caldron bubble._

 _Fillet of a fenny snake,_

 _In the caldron boil and bake;_

 _Eye of newt and toe of frog,_

 _Wool of bat and tongue of dog,_

 _Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,_

 _Lizard's leg and howlet's wing,_

 _For a charm of powerful trouble,_

 _Like a hell-broth boil and bubble._

 _Double, double toil and trouble;_

 _Fire burn and caldron bubble._

 _Cool it with a baboon's blood,_

 _Then the charm is firm and good._

"Very good!" Professor Flitwick said enthusiastically as the song finished. "We've been making steady progress with the set list, I feel like you are prepared for the End-of-Term concert in—" A girl in the front row raised her hand. "Yes, what is it, Miss Brooke?"

"Excuse me, Professor, but can I please be moved?" said Isabelle Brooke, a Ravenclaw girl sitting on Lisa's right side. " _Someone_ is singing so loud and off-key, she's bringing down the entire alto section!"

Every single one of the alto girls' eyes darted to Lisa, before looking away quickly. The Gryffindor's face turned the color of her tie and she looked down, wishing she could sink into the ground.

"I think the person in question just needs to lower the volume of their voice," Flitwick said gently. "And the rest of you should not be distracted so easily. The Great Hall won't be silent during the performance, so you should strive to be able to keep up the melody despite external factors. Now, let us discuss the solos. For 'Bottom of the River', we have Dorcas, and Dahlia for 'The Hanging Tree'. Please see me after rehearsal to—"

Suddenly, the door to the Music Room swung open and a breathless Ravenclaw boy came running in.

"Professor! Professor! Connie Watts fainted in Transfiguration! They took her to the Hospital Wing, Professor McGonagall sent me to get you!"

"Oh my," Flitwick said, quickly climbing down from the conductor's podium. "Take a break everyone! I'll be back shortly."

As soon as he left the room, the students began chattering and some stood up to stretch their legs. Lisa staid in her seat, eyes glued to the floor. _I won't quit. I won't quit,_ she kept telling herself. If she ever wanted to see the World Cup, she just had to stick it out. When Lisa felt someone sit down in Isabelle's vacated chair, she didn't even need to look up to know who it was.

"Don't let them get to you," Dorcas said. "You're just starting out. Brooks is a bitch for pointing it out in front of everybody like that."

"She's right though," Lisa muttered under her breath. "I shouldn't be here. I'm just bringing everyone else down."

"No, you aren't! Flitwick was right; they shouldn't be led astray like sheep! You don't let the others' voices influence you."

"But if I did, we'd all sound a hell of a lot better. Congratulations on your solo, by the way." Lisa finally looked up and gave her friend a small smile. Dorcas beamed back at her, and the smile became more genuine. When they signed up for the Choir, Lisa was stunned to find out how good Dorcas was. Her voice had a lot of power and personality, and she seemed to really enjoy this club. Unlike Lisa.

Dorcas opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by loud, giggling voices from the alto girls, huddled close together nearby.

"The reason she's even able to influence any of us is because the lyrics are ridiculous!" Isabelle was saying. "She's memorized the entire thing, but we constantly have to think about which line comes next. I mean, that potion they're making, who uses just a toe of the frog leg? And everyone knows the baboon blood would react badly with the eye of newt, the potion would explode! And what does _Adder's fork_ mean, anyway?"

"It means the tongue of an Adder snake," Lisa murmured automatically before she could stop herself. The girls stopped talking and turned around.

"Did you say something? Speak up, I can't hear you for once," Isabelle said, sending the girls into another fit of giggles. Lisa just wanted to sink into the ground. She didn't belong here. Why was she standing out so much?

"She said that you lot have no culture," Dorcas called beside her, and Lisa's whole body stiffened with dread. "Everyone knows this potion isn't real; it was written by a muggle poet. And Adder's fork refers to the forked tongue of an Adder snake. How daft do you have to be not to know that?" the Slytherin added haughtily, which almost made Lisa chuckle. She had to explain all of this to her only two days ago.

"Let it go, Cass," Lisa said instead.

"Why should I?" Dorcas hissed in her ear, when Isabelle only rolled her eyes and the alto girls resumed their conversation. "You shouldn't let them walk all over you like that!"

"I know, but I'm trying to remain in the bloody Choir!" Lisa whispered back. "They're not doing it out of spite, everyone here knows I suck! I'm just trying to get through this as painlessly as possible, and making enemies won't help anything!"

Dorcas sighed, but reclined back in the chair. They spent the next ten minutes talking about more pleasant things, and she even subjected herself to a bit of Quidditch talk in an attempt to lift Lisa's spirits and help her stomach Isabelle. When Flitwick returned, however, she had to go back to the soprano section and leave her friend to cope as best she could.

After the Choir sang two more songs that were on the set list for the concert, Flitwick called Dorcas and Dahlia to his podium to give them the sheet music and discus their solos. The rest of the students buzzed with muffled chatter, and what Lisa feared most happened – Isabelle opened her mouth.

"I really don't see why he picked _her_ for 'Bottom of the River'. She clearly does not have the pipes to pull it off, she'll make us all look like idiots." _Relax,_ Lisa told herself _. Don't get angry. You need this Choir. Just don't explode. Don't explode_. "And she's a complete newcomer! This should have been given to someone more experienced! This is clearly a case of favoritism; why else would a barely adequate singer like her get a solo two months after joining? I bet you she's doing something for Flitwick on the side... On her knees."

Before Lisa even realized what she was doing, she sprang to her feet and her wand was in her hand. Next thing she knew, Isabelle was shrieking, her curly brown hair enveloped by dancing yellow flames.

* * *

~O~

"I'm so dead," Lisa moaned despairingly in her knees.

She and Dorcas were sitting on one of the many staircases between the fifth and the sixth floor, as Lisa sulked over her spectacular failure to control herself.

"Whatever she told you, I'm sure she had it coming," Dorcas tried to comfort her. "And you only lost 50 points; Potter and Black lose triple that every week. It's not that bad."

"First of all, my parents will kill me when they hear of this. And second, I _really_ needed to stay in that Choir. I'm never going to the Cup now."

"There's always the Knitting Club," Dorcas quipped. Lisa only moaned again.

Just then, James Potter came up the stairs, heading back to the Gryffindor common room after another detention.

"Hey Fawley. What's with you?"

"Go away, James," Lisa muttered, face still buried in her knees. James threw a questioning look at Dorcas.

"She set a girl on fire and got kicked out of the Frog Choir," the Slytherin explained.

James erupted in laughter. "Nice. What did she set her on fire for?"

"Does it matter?" Lisa chimed in. "It's done. My life is over."

James raised an eyebrow. "Didn't realize you had your heart set on singing. Especially since your Christmas caroling makes me want to take a Severing Charm to my ears."

"You don't get it, James. My parents told me that if I don't join a club, they wouldn't take me to the World Cup! I'll never get to see the Finals now!" Lisa explained miserably.

"Hm, we can't have that, I've already bet on Syria against you." He paused and turned his eyes to the ceiling thoughtfully. "Why don't you join the Gryffindor Quidditch team? You're a decent flyer."

Lisa's head shot up and she stared at him blankly.

"What?"

"Buckley told Malcolm the other day that N.E.W.T.s were more important than Quidditch, so we need a third Chaser for the final game against Ravenclaw in two weeks, _badly_. You'd be helping us out, and it will solve your World Cup issue. Think about it."

James flashed the girls a grin and continued up the stairs, while Lisa just stared after him as if he had just told her she'd been made the Minister for Magic.


	3. Ambush

**Written for the Camp Hogwarts challenge, Cabin Longbottom.**

 **Task:** Paintball- Write about an ambush (50 points)

* * *

 **January 1977**

 _Lisa's done a lot of stupid things, but this time she really must've kicked the wasp nest_ , Dorcas thought darkly, chewing her kidney pie. Her eyes slid over to the Gryffindor table, but she didn't see her friend anywhere. Or the Marauders. This did not bode well.

It was the second day of the new term, and Dorcas hadn't seen Lisa since they got off the Hogwarts Express. About halfway through the journey Lisa had gone to the loo and returned fifteen minutes later, angry and tight-lipped. All she had divulged was one word – Snape. She had promised Dorcas to tell her later, but skipped the entirety of Charms, the only class they had together yesterday, and was not at lunch today either. Whatever she and Snape had been up to, it couldn't have been good.

The two of them had never been bosom friends, but Lisa had at least tolerated him in the past because he was Lily's friend, in much the same vain Lily was nice to Dorcas, because she was Lisa's friend. Since about the middle of their first year, Lisa and Snape had what one would describe as a 'cold' relationship, but recently something had happened between them, something that had them glaring daggers in each other at every opportunity.

First there was some sort of skirmish at the Library back in November; Dorcas was vague on the details. Then the time Lisa saw him about to attack the Marauders and hexed him. After that, the Quaffle that she caught during the last Quidditch game exploded in her face. They couldn't prove anything, but Lisa suspected Snape was at least a part of it. Then there was the confrontation in Hogsmeade, where the two girls nearly got into a duel with him and those morons he hung around with.

Dorcas knew that Lisa's fuse was shorter than Flitwick, but surely she knew more squabbles with Snape would lead to nothing good, especially now that it was practically confirmed he had taken the Mark? Would she really attack him, knowing what he was a part of? It would have obvious, immediate consequences. She _had_ to have thought of that. Right?

"Dorcas." A sharp elbow poked her side, bringing her out of her thoughts. She turned right, in order to face Nataly Prior with a questioning look. The other girl inclined her head to the west wall, where Marlene McKinnon was standing nervously, too afraid to approach the Slytherin table but obviously trying to get Dorcas' attention. She waved, gesturing her to come closer.

"Since when are you and McKinnon so close?" Nataly quipped, but Dorcas ignored her and sighed.

"Idiot. Couldn't approach me like a normal human being..." she grumbled under her nose and got up, walking over to Marlene.

"We need to talk," the Gryffindor said as soon as Dorcas was within earshot.

"So talk."

"It's Lisa. She was tortured yesterday. It was bad."

Dorcas' blood immediately ran cold and her face paled. "What?! Is she okay? What happened? Who did it?" she exclaimed, barely keeping from shaking Marlene.

The other girl tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, clearly uncomfortable. "She's... fine. At least, she says she is."

Dorcas snorted derisively. Of course she would say that. "Did she go the Hospital Wing? What sort of torture was it? Give me details, McKinnon!"

"Cruciatus curse," Marlene said quietly. "Alice went up to the dorms after Ancient Runes yesterday and walked in on it. Lisa doesn't have any injuries, none that we could find, just some muscle pains and a sore throat from all the... from all the screaming." She swallowed thickly.

Dorcas felt her heart sink painfully. "Who did it?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Marlene chewed on her bottom lip. "... Mary."

Dorcas' jaw dropped and she gaped at the other girl in disbelief. " _McDonald?_ That short bird that can barely speak up in class? You're full of rubbish."

"She was Imperiused," Marlene said darkly. "We took her to McGonagall; she's really upset about it. Wasn't in control of her own actions..." The Gryffindor girl looked away, and Dorcas got the distinct feeling there was something she wasn't telling her.

"Was Snape involved in this?" she hissed, her hands balling into fists. Marlene's startled eyes rose to meet hers again.

"How did you–"

"Was it him?"

"We don't have any evidence, but..."

"What happened on the train?" Dorcas cut through. "What did Lisa do?"

Marlene threw a cautious look around the Great Hall, her eyes sweeping the Slytherin table wearily. Then she leaned in closer and whispered, "Lisa saw him threatening Remus. I don't know exactly what happened, but she jumped in the middle of it and ended up jinxing him. Then Lily saw the whole thing... they got into a fight over Snape. Apparently, Lily's been having some regrets about severing their relationship. It all ended with Lily walking away, for real this time. Snape, he... wasn't happy about it."

Dorcas felt her world spin. Lisa's mouth had gotten her in trouble, _again_. Why couldn't she think before she acted, for _once_ in her life? Why couldn't she perceive that actions have consequences? Why did she always have to jump in the middle of things that didn't concern her?

"Will she... will she be..." Dorcas tried to say, her throat tight from emotion.

"It didn't leave any lasting after-effects," Marlene said, eyeing her sympathetically. "She'll probably be in class tomorrow."

Dorcas nodded curtly and made to leave the hall. After only two or three steps she stopped, adding almost as an afterthought, "Hey, thanks for telling me."

"No problem." Marlene gave her a faint smile. "And Dorcas? Don't do anything stupid."

Dorcas chuckled lightly, then waved at her and headed to the dungeons with quick, determined steps. Of course she wouldn't do anything _stupid_. She wasn't some brash Gryffindor that would storm the common room, wand blazing, and turn Snape into a flobberworm, which would only start a chain reaction of revenge. But that didn't mean she was going to just sit on her hands and let this slide.

* * *

The following Thursday, Dorcas lay in wait in one of the many niches along the winding corridor that led to the Slytherin common room. She had hurried there right after dinner, knowing Snape studied in the Library in the evenings, and would be returning soon, _alone_. After about an hour of waiting (Dorcas could be _very_ patient when she needed to be), footsteps echoed through the empty corridor. Wanting to be certain, Dorcas muttered a detection spell, and sure enough, it was him. She gripped her wand tighter, and as soon as he was in view, cast a silent full-body bind charm. Snape went rigid as a board and tipped over, landing hard on his right shoulder. Dorcas stepped into the light of the torches and gazed down at him, wand pointed at his chest.

"Good evening, Snape," she said politely, though her voice was dripping with acid. "How was back home? Had a nice holiday? Got all the presents you wanted? Enjoyed torturing my best friend?"

His jaw was frozen by the spell, but his eyes glared at her coldly.

"I'm gonna level with ya, Snivelly," Dorcas said, squatting down next to him. "I don't appreciate it when greasy little cockroaches such as yourself lift their wands against people I care about. So this is how it's going to work."

She reached over and pulled up his sleeve, unsurprisingly revealing a vivid skull and snake tattoo on his forearm. Producing a small wizarding camera from her pocket, she snapped a picture of his motionless body, the flash illuminating the dim corridor.

"You are aware, I presume, that being branded as a follower of a xenophobic cult leader will get you expelled?" she continued, waving the camera. "If I so much as _suspect_ you've had a finger in something bad that happens to Lisa, this little picture will find itself on the desk of every single teacher at this school. For Dumbledore, I think I'll have it framed. Oh, and in case you and your buddies decide to be clever and try something on me, unless I am in my dorm each and every night to undo a certain spell, this gem will land in the lap of James Potter the following morning. Do I make myself clear?"

Snape said nothing, but his eyes were burning with the intense loathing he usually reserved only for the bespectacled Gryffindor.

"Good," Dorcas said and patted his head, immediately wrinkling her nose in disgust and wiping her hand in her robes. Then she stood up and calmly walked away, leaving Snape to glare after her from the floor.


	4. Hogwarts

**Written for the Camp Hogwarts challenge, Cabin Longbottom.**

 **Task:** Kayaking- Write about your OC going to Hogwarts for the first time (50 points)

* * *

 **September 1st, 1971**

Platform 9 ¾ was bursting with life. Cats were meowing, birds were screeching, people were talking and bustling about, passing by the Fawleys and their two daughters. Five-year-old Julie was looking around curiously, shrilly asking questions every two seconds, though her parents ignored her for the most part, already used to her endless chattering. Lisa was standing on her toes, anxiously searching the crowd for her cousin Frank and his parents. Frank was about to start his second year, and had promised her during the summer that he would help her get settled in.

Lisa was excited to go to Hogwarts, but at the same time, the thought terrified her. What if she didn't make any friends? What if her housemates didn't like her? What if she was sorted into the wrong house? She knew her father wanted her to go to Ravenclaw like him, but she didn't feel like she was smart enough to be there. If she ended up in Hufflepuff, James Potter would never let her live it down. He already picked on her all the time for no reason at all! She hoped they wouldn't wind up being housemates. Gryffindor with Frank would be nice, she supposed, but if she was sorted in Slytherin, she might just write to her parents and ask to be taken home. There were other schools she could go to. _Anything_ would be better than Slytherin.

"Augusta!" Lisa's dad cried suddenly and waved, greeting his sister and her family, who were slowly making their way over through the crowded platform.

"Robert, there you are! Cutting it close as always, are you?" Aunt Augusta scolded him, while he shook hands with her husband. "Dawn, dear, how have you been?" she turned to Lisa's mother, who smiled.

"Oh, you know, getting the girls ready to leave the nest. I don't know what I'll do when my little Lisbug is gone!"

"Muuum," Lisa muttered with embarrassment, her whole face turning red. Frank was trying to contain a snort, but his shoulders were shaking with silent laughter.

"I'm sure Julie can keep your hands full, darling," her dad said, smiling fondly at his wife.

"I don't know how she has so much energy! Lisa was a lot easier to handle—"

The adults chatted for several minutes until it was time to help Frank and Lisa onto the train. By the time the train whistle blew, Lisa's mother was weeping openly in a large blue handkerchief.

"So, are you excited?" Frank said, dragging his trunk along the train.

"Yes, but I think 'scared' would be a better word for it. Are you sure I'll be alright even if I can't do any spells?"

"No first year can do spells; you need a wand for them."

"James can. He told me so."

Frank snorted. "James Potter is an arrogant little show-off. I seriously doubt he was telling the truth."

Lisa nodded, but just then a head popped from a compartment a little further down, and the boy it belonged to called out to Frank.

"Hey, Longbottom! Come on, we saved you a seat!"

Lisa turned with pleading eyes to her cousin, but he only threw her an apologetic look and went off to join his friends. She was left standing there like an idiot, not sure what to do next. _'Pull yourself together,'_ she thought. Tightening her grip on the trunk, Lisa continued past Frank's compartment and peered in each one to follow. Most were already full with older students, chatting happily and catching up with their friends. She walked by, not having the nerve to enter, until she finally spotted a familiar face. In a compartment full of what seemed like other first years, James was sitting with a black-haired boy she had never met, talking animatedly about something. She considered going in for a fraction of a second, but dismissed the idea immediately. She would rather sit with complete strangers than with James! He and his new friends would probably just make fun of her the entire trip and she'd end up with whipped cream on her head, like the last time the Potters paid a visit to the Fawleys.

Lisa continued down the train determinately, but almost everywhere was taken. Finally, at the very bottom of the Hogwarts Express, she found a mostly unoccupied compartment. The only person inside was a lean boy with tawny brown hair and his nose stuck in a book. Lisa liked that immediately – not many kids she knew would choose to read to pass their time. She placed her hand on the handle, but hesitated for a moment. She didn't even know this person. But then again, it was either him or James.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" she asked politely, sliding the door open. The boy's pale green eyes lifted from the pages and he nodded silently. He watched her as she slipped in and tried to pull her trunk after her, only for it to hitch at the entrance and make her drop it. The boy sprang from his seat and helped her put it in the luggage rail overhead.

"Thanks," Lisa said with a smile, once they sat down opposite each other. "I'm a first year, so I didn't want to bother any of the older kids."

He smiled slightly. "I'm new too. Remus Lupin." He extended his hand to her and she shook it, trying to hold back a giggle at the formality of the gesture.

"What're you reading?" she asked, nodding to his book. He held it up for her to see.

" _The Wind in the Willows_! I love this one! Are you muggle-born?" she said excitedly, startling him.

"Half-blood," he replied. Her smile fell a little. "Oh. I've never met a muggle-born before. Have you?" He shook his head. "I hope I see one. There's this boy I know that always picks on me, and he told me all muggle-borns have purple skin. You don't think that's true, do you?"

The boy, Remus, blinked at her a couple of times, not sure if it was okay to laugh or not. "No, I don't think they do. They look just like us."

"But have you _seen_ any before? How would you know?"

"I've seen muggles before, and they aren't purple."

"But maybe something in the muggle blood gets mixed with the magic and causes them to mutate!"

"I think that boy was pulling your leg."

Just then, the compartment door slid open again, and a girl with long red hair stood in the frame.

"Can we sit here? Everywhere else is taken."

Remus and Lisa nodded, and the girl took a seat next to Remus, while a black-haired boy, already in his school robes, followed her in and sat next to Lisa.

"Hi. I'm Lily," the girl introduced herself with a warm smile. "And this is my friend, Severus."

"Remus Lupin," Remus returned it shyly.

"Lisa Fawley," Lisa said. The other boy's eyes turned to her curiously.

"You're a Fawley?"

"Er, yeah," Lisa replied, starting to feel a bit uncomfortable from the intensity of his stare.

"Are you related to Hector Fawley, the ex-Minister for Magic?" the boy asked again.

"He's my grandfather."

"You come from a magical family?" Lily joined in.

"Long line of purebloods. They're part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight!" Severus answered in Lisa's stead.

"The Sacred Twenty-Eight? What's that?" Lily asked curiously.

"It's a registry for all supposedly pureblooded families. My mother's family was not considered 'pure enough' by the moron that made it," Severus explained.

"Are you a half-blood too?" Lisa asked. Severus nodded, but his eyes flickered worriedly to Lily for a second. The redheaded girl, however, didn't seem to notice.

"I'm muggle-born. It must be wonderful living in a house full of wizards! What is it like?"

"You're a muggle-born?" Lisa echoed and eyed Lily with the same fascination Severus was looking at her only moments ago. "But you don't have purple skin!"

Remus, who had stayed as much out of the conversation as possible up to this point, snorted loudly, but caught himself and tried to disguise it as a cough.

"Why would I have purple skin?" Lily asked in confusion.

"This boy I know told me muggle-borns were purple. Tell me all about muggles; I've never spoken to someone with muggle parents!"

Severus let out a small sigh of relief. The girls spent the whole trip talking about what muggle and wizard households were like, indulging on chocolate frogs and swapping funny stories. Severus would join in from time to time to add his own opinion, and Lisa found herself liking him a lot. He seemed smart, and he wasn't prejudiced like some of the pureblood kids she had met before. He was very excited to be going to Hogwarts too, and they spent a good hour and a half detailing to Lily the places they wanted to see and the classes they couldn't wait to start. Remus was a lot quieter, content to observe the conversation and only very occasionally commenting on something that was said. He spent the majority of the trip behind the cover of his book, but Lisa could tell he was secretly listening to every word.

The skies slowly darkened, as the train pulled up at Hogsmeade Station. The four kids made their way out of the train and mingled with the other students.

A voice boomed over the crowd, and they saw a giant man towering above the sea of heads, a heavy lantern swinging in his hand. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

Lily, Lisa, Remus and Severus exchanged puzzled glances, but as none of them knew what to make of it, they followed the bearded man with the lantern, along with all the other frightened and confused first years down a steep, narrow path. After a short walk, it opened to reveal a big, black lake, where a battalion of small boats awaited them. And on its other side was—

"Hogwarts," Severus whispered wistfully. The castle's many towers and lit windows were just like something out of a dream. The four kids exchanged excited glances.

"No more'n four to a boat!" the giant called.

They climbed into a boat together and the vessels carried them forward on their own. Everyone was quiet, staring mesmerized at the approaching castle, where they would spend the majority of the next seven years. Then suddenly, there was a splash and a girlish shriek, followed by snickering. Lisa turned to the left to see that James had splashed one of the girls in his boat with the icy-cold water, and he and the black-haired boy he was talking with on the train were sniggering, their heads close together. Lisa rolled her eyes. Leave it to James Potter to ruin such an amazing moment. She noticed with satisfaction that Lily and Severus were also looking at that boat disapprovingly and silently hoped she would be in the same house as them. She looked to Remus and saw he was staring at the castle almost spellbound, having not even noticed James' shenanigans. Lisa had the feeling that he was more excited to be going to Hogwarts than he let on.

After a short glide under a low, stone tunnel, the boats finally reached the shore. The giant led them all the way up to the castle, where a tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes who introduced herself as Professor McGonagall took over and led them through the big doors of the Great Hall. Lisa heard gasps all around her, as the new students beheld the enchanted ceiling for the first time. She had seen it before, in pictures from her parents' stay at Hogwarts. Lily's eyes were round as plates though, and Severus was looking around, absorbing every single detail. Remus looked like he would be sick any second.

When they got to the end of the hall, the Sorting Hat was expecting them upon a small wooden stool. A rip near the brim opened like a mouth and it began to sing. Lisa was too distracted by the knot in her stomach to pay attention to the words, but it was something about which traits the Founders were looking for in students. Finally, the song was over and the Hall exploded in applause. Professor McGonagall caught the hat by the tip and raised it.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said, looking down at a piece of parchment in her hand. "Abbot, Susan!"

Lisa watched as her peers were sorted one by one; and was as startled as everyone else when she found out James' new friend was a Black, and a Black that was sorted into _Gryffindor_. Most people didn't know if they should cheer or not, but the boy wore a wide grin as he made his way to the red-and-gold table and sat there. After 'Catchlove, Greta' was sorted into Hufflepuff, it was Lily's turn. She walked to the stool nervously, but after only a few short moments, she was pronounced as a Gryffindor. Lisa heard Severus groan softly next to her.

"What's the matter?" she whispered to him. He considered her for a moment, before admitting he was hoping Lily would make Slytherin.

"A muggle-born in Slytherin? You know it will never happen," Lisa replied, and he sighed sadly. "Who wants to be in Slytherin anyway? It's full of pricks."

Severus threw her a bemused glance, but her name was called, so she only gave him a reassuring smile and stepped up to the stool. The hat fell over her eyes, but instead of having a conversation with her, like her dad had told her it had done with him, it almost immediately proclaimed, "Gryffindor!"

The hat was lifted from her head, and Lisa just stared at the applauding students, startled at how quickly it was all over with. McGonagall gave her a light push in the back, and she made her way over and sat next to Lily. The redhead gave her a swift hug and they watched as not long after, Remus was sorted into Gryffindor as well and came over to them, smiling brilliantly. The expression did wonders for his pale face, and he looked like he'd never experienced a happier moment in his life. James was also sorted in Gryffindor, making Lisa and Lily exchange a sour look. Lily didn't seem to like James very much either. To their disappointment (and Lisa's extreme surprise), Severus was placed in Slytherin.

"But how can this be possible? He doesn't belong in Slytherin, the Sorting Hat must've made a mistake," Lisa mused, after the hat and stool were taken away and the feast officially began.

"He talks about how great Slytherin is all the time," Lily said casually, piling sausages on her plate. "He always thought he'd end up there."

Lisa stared at her, completely dumbstruck. Severus hadn't seemed like the sort of person that would fit in with Slytherins. Everyone knew they were all evil.

* * *

~O~

The first week of term went by in a whirlwind of excitement. Lisa met her other dorm mates, Marlene McKinnon, Alice Prewett and Mary McDonald. Alice and Mary were sort of quiet and nice, and Marlene was loud and liked to talk about wizarding celebrities a lot. Mary and Lily were both muggle-born, so they soon grew to be fast friends. James and Sirius Black soon proved to be the most obnoxious boys on the planet – not that that was any surprise – and what was worse, they didn't waste time sinking their claws into Remus. The two of them could often be seen inviting him along on their irresponsible wandering around the school, and Lisa hoped he could resist their corruption. The fourth Gryffindor boy, Peter Pettigrew, seemed a little lonely that first week. Lisa felt sorry for him, but she was too busy adjusting to this new way of life to worry about him. By Friday, she had gotten lost at least thirty-two times, and entered the wrong classroom twice. She had no idea how the older kids did it, the bloody castle was a maze!

"Which is our next class?" she asked Lily at lunch on Friday.

"Double potions with Slytherin," Lily replied, checking her schedule.

"Great," Lisa groaned. "What are you smirking about?" she added to Marlene, who was grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

"I got detention. No smelly dungeons for me today," Marlene said.

"Detention already? What did you do?"

"Didn't turn in that big essay McGonagall gave us. It was supposed to be fifteen centimeters, I thought she was joking! She can't give us something like that as our first homework assignment, it's inhumane! And she's our Head of House; she should give us some leeway!"

"McGonagall's very strict. Frank's told me about her," Lisa said, a little dumbfounded that a student would dare to neglect their homework and expect to get away with it. Marlene shrugged indifferently and moved to get up. The rest of the Gryffindor girls stood up as well and headed down to their very first Potions lesson.

The dungeons were dark and suffocating, and their teacher, Professor Slughorn, filled up quite a bit of space himself. He told them to pair up, and before Lisa knew what was happening, everyone else had a partner. Alice and Mary, James and Sirius, Remus and Peter, Lily and Severus. Lisa looked around, a bit scared she'd have to work alone, when she saw one last open spot, next to a pretty Slytherin girl with long, black hair. Lisa felt bile rise in her throat at the thought of having to work with a _Slytherin_ , but walked over and sat down. Slughorn decided to have them jump straight into the action, and told them to make him a simple Forgetfulness Potion.

"So what's your name?" the Slytherin girl asked, while Lisa was measuring Valerian springs.

"Why should I tell you?" Lisa replied coldly. The girl raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

"Because I was trying to be nice?"

"Hah, nice. As if Slytherins can be nice," Lisa snorted, keeping her eyes on the scales. The girl turned to her, keeping a neutral face though her eyes were sparkling dangerously.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"You know very well what it means! I don't want to associate with Slytherin scum!" Lisa hissed.

"So just because I'm in Slytherin, I'm scum, am I?" the girl exploded. "So because I was sorted into a certain house that gives you the right to judge me and tell me what I'm like? You're just a brainless sheep that lets the masses dictate your opinion, just like half the morons in this school! There's more to me than the color of my tie!"

The wand in the girl's hand rained sparks in her cauldron and the potion exploded, bathing the two girls in the yellow liquid, which smelled strongly of sweaty socks.

"Tut, tut, tut. It's only your first week, you shouldn't be starting fights," Slughorn scolded them lightly. "You will stay after class to clean up this mess. _Without_ magic."

The girl scowled, but didn't protest and Lisa looked at her guiltily, as she tried to squeeze the potion from her hair. It was true, what she said. They didn't know a thing about each other, yet Lisa had decided in her head that she was evil before they had even spoken. But if she _wasn't_ , why was she sorted into Slytherin? Lisa glanced at Lily's table. Why was Severus?

After the class was over, they were given buckets and mops, and Slughorn left them to it.

"...I'm sorry," Lisa said after working in silence for about ten minutes.

"Sure you are," the girl replied coldly.

"No, I am, really! You were right, I don't know you, and I just assumed—"

"That all Slytherins are evil?"

"Well... yeah. There's not a bad witch or wizard that wasn't in Slytherin."

"Rubbish! There have been plenty of Dark Wizards from the other houses! And what about Merlin, was he evil? He was the greatest wizard of all time, and he was a Slytherin!"

Lisa looked down at the mop at her feet.

"You get sorted into Slytherin for being ambitious and clever, not for being _evil_. Do you honestly think the Ministry would allow an evil house to exist within Hogwarts?" the girl continued with a sigh, putting the mop into the bucket and propping it against a wall.

"I'm sorry," Lisa repeated quietly.

"Yeah, whatever," the girl said, swinging her schoolbag over her shoulder and making for the door.

"Hey," Lisa called after her.

"What?"

"So... what's your name?"

The other girl swept her up with a critical gaze, but at the end replied, "Dorcas Meadowes."

"Lisa Fawley. It's... nice to meet you. It really is." Lisa held out her hand, and after a small consideration, Dorcas shook it.


	5. Troll Hunt

**Written for the Camp Hogwarts challenge, Cabin Longbottom.**

 **Task:** Scavenger hunt- Write about the hunt for certain magical objects/creatures (100 points)

* * *

 **Drabble Club:** creature **–** unicorn

 **Quidditch Pitch:** absolve

* * *

 **March 1972**

"This is stupid," Dorcas muttered.

"You're stupid. No one made you come, he dared _me_ , not you," Lisa snapped, stopping to untangle the end of her robes, which had caught on to some brambles.

"Why do you even listen to what that prat Potter says? Who cares what he thinks?" Dorcas complained, gripping the robes and helping Lisa pull them away from the bush.

"He called me a coward!" Lisa exclaimed indignantly, continuing farther into the dark forest.

Dorcas groaned in frustration, but followed. "I really hate it when your Gryffindor begins to show. And what are you gonna do if we _do_ find a Forest Troll? Talk him into giving you his hair?"

"I was thinking I could just... take it?" Lisa said, grinning sheepishly.

Dorcas looked at her friend as if she'd just breathed fire. " _Take it?_ Are you serious?! You can't defeat a Forest Troll; they're immensely strong and ten feet tall! You don't truly believe Black's rubbish story about him wrestling one, do you?"

Lisa rolled her eyes. "I'm not an idiot. I just thought I could, you know, sneak up on him and pluck it."

"And then?"

"Run like hell."

"You're mental," Dorcas concluded, shaking her head.

"If I'm so mental, why did you come?" Lisa asked again, holding her lit wand high, so it was easier to see in the thick darkness.

"Because you're going to get yourself killed," the Slytherin said matter-of-factly.

"I never should have told you where I'm going," Lisa grumbled, swatting away a low branch.

"Why did you?" the other girl countered.

"Because you saw me sneaking out! Besides, if I die I'll need somebody to deliver the news to my parents."

"At least you admit this is suicide," Dorcas muttered. "What if we both die?"

"We won't, because you'll run away from danger, like the good little Slytherin you are."

Dorcas snorted. "Yeah, keep insulting your only backup. And for the record, if I was planning on running away at the first sign of danger, I wouldn't be complaining so much."

Lisa didn't say anything, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"There should be a Troll Bridge nearby," she said, catching sight of the dried up bed of a river that once ran through the forest. "There has to be at least one Troll there."

"And who told you that? Potter?" Dorcas sneered.

"No, I read it in a book!" Lisa retorted. "I read up on Trolls and the Forest before I left."

"Could it be I've actually met a Gryffindor that cracks open a book every now and then?" Dorcas said, sounding genuinely impressed.

"There's more to me than the color of my tie, you know," Lisa said in a mockingly high voice. Dorcas shoved her playfully from behind. Then she stopped abruptly.

"Wait."

"What?" Lisa turned around, a bit annoyed at the setback. "Why are you stopping; that's just begging to be ambushed!"

Dorcas held up a hand, her eyes trying fruitlessly to penetrate the thick darkness ahead of them. "Do you hear that?"

Lisa strained her ears and held up her wand as high as she could. After a few moments she heard it too. It sounded like... clicking.

"What _is_ that?" Lisa said. Suddenly the light in Dorcas' wand went out and she felt the Slytherin's hand slip in hers.

"Turn it off, it's going to see us," Dorcas whispered in her ear. Lisa obeyed and Dorcas pulled her to the left, where they crouched behind some bushes. They laid there with bated breath as the clicking became louder, and as their eyes adjusted to the darkness, they were able to discern a large eight-legged silhouette make its way along the path. It dragged a limp white body that left a silvery trail on the ground behind it, clicking its enormous pincers as it walked. The Unicorn's big, glistening eyes met the young Gryffindor's and without thinking, Lisa made to stand up. Dorcas' hand, still in hers, drew her back.

The spider stopped. Its eight eyes shone in the pale moonlight, scanning the area. The two girls clung to each other, desperately trying to slow down their echoing heartbeats. Dorcas was focused on the spider, her whole body tense, but Lisa couldn't take her eyes off the injured Unicorn. It blinked at her imploringly and lifted its head weakly.

Suddenly a hairy limb shot through the bush and a pair of giant pincers closed around Dorcas. The Slytherin screamed as the three meter tall Acromatula lifted her into the air. Lisa stared at the sight, completely paralyzed. The monster opened its maw and began lowering the writhing girl into it. Something shot through Lisa's body – it could have been courage or it could have been fear – but she didn't have time to think about it. Her wand whipped out and she yelled the first spell that came to mind.

" _Incendio!_ "

Red and orange flames erupted from the wand and hit one of the spider's many eyes. It began stomping all over the place, a terrible screeching emitting from its throat. Its limbs flailed as it thrashed around, and Dorcas slipped from the pincers and was flung into the air. Lisa tried to catch her, but the force of the throw sent them both flying backwards. They landed painfully in the dirt; Lisa's back grinding against small stones and hard earth. The impact knocked the air out of her, and her ribs felt like they'd been crushed.

Dorcas rolled off and pulled her up to her feet.

"I think we've hit the 'run like hell' phase of your plan!" she yelled and the two girls sprinted through the darkness. The Acromantula came back to its senses and gave chase. Lisa could hear the clicking of its pincers behind them and tried frantically to remember what she knew about spiders. Well for starters, this one had eight legs and they only had two.

Lisa grabbed on to Dorcas' back and pushed her forward.

"Get to the castle!" she yelled and whirled around, shooting more sparks at the monster in an attempt to draw its attention. "Over here, dungbreath! You go for the closest victim, don't you? Here I am!"

It worked, and the spider strayed from the trail and came after her. Lisa darted to the right, though she knew running was pointless. She tried to think of an appropriate hex, but she was only a first year, she didn't know any spider-repelling spells! So she kept retreating, but the spider followed suit, the flames hitting its body dissipating without doing any harm. One of its appendages shot forward and hit Lisa in the stomach, knocking the air out of her again as she fell to the ground.

Gasping for breath, she looked up only to see the Acromantula leaning over her. She scrambled backwards, but sharp pincers pierced her leg and drew her back. She screamed and tried to hex the monster again, but it bit into her arm, venom dripping from its fangs. Lisa didn't even have the presence of mind to scream again, her head beginning to swim as the poison entered her bloodstream. Her limbs felt heavy, her movements were sluggish, her vision was smudged and she couldn't even bring herself to be afraid when the spiders' huge jaws snapped right in front of her face.

Suddenly some strange noise cut through her confusion. The ground beneath her was vibrating with the thumping of hooves. A flash of white and gold crashed into the Acromantula and tipped it over, red blood gushing from its side. Lisa looked up dazedly and saw the magnificent snow-white horse almost glow in the moonlight, its horn coated in red. A pair of hands slipped under her arms and she heard Dorcas grunt in her ear as she was being lifted off the ground and slung over the Unicorn's back. Somewhere in the background, the eight hairy legs of the giant spider wiggled frantically, but just as it managed to get upright again, wind beat against her face and everything became a blur. Then it all went black.

* * *

oOo

Lisa woke up to terrible pain in her right arm and left leg. She groaned and opened her eyes only to be met with the blinding sunlight that filled the Hospital Wing. A shadow fell on her face, as someone leaned over the bed and she heard Dorcas' distressed voice.

"Are you okay?"

Footsteps echoed through the floor and Lisa saw Madam Pomfrey place a hand on the Slytherin's shoulder.

"Let her have some space," the matron said, helping Lisa sit up and placing a steaming cup of potion in her hands. "I must go and alert the Headmaster. Drink this; it will make you feel better."

Lisa nodded weakly and raised the cup to her lips, as Madam Pomfrey's skirts disappeared behind the big door at the end of the ward. The potion was very bitter, but the young Gryffindor felt her head clear almost immediately.

"What happened?" she asked Dorcas.

"Your idiocy almost got us killed, that's what happened," Dorcas said, sitting down in a chair next to the bed. "How much do you remember?"

Lisa screwed up her face in thought. "We ran into an Acromantula. Tried to run away, but it was going to catch us, so I tried to distract it... that's about it."

Dorcas nodded. "Yeah. I figured we couldn't outrun it too, so I went back and tried to find that Unicorn it wounded. I tried a _Rennervate_ on it, and that seemed to work. We came back for you, and I managed to get you on its back. You almost gave me a heart attack by the way, the thing was already munching on you! But Madam Pomfrey thinks you'll be alright. She fed you a bezoar and said we were lucky I got you there as soon as I did, the Acromantula venom hadn't reached your heart."

"What about you?" Lisa asked, spying the red blood that had congealed on her friend's robes, somewhere around the waist.

"Oh, this?" Dorcas looked down. "Just a scratch from when that thing grabbed me. Madam Pomfrey healed it in less than a minute."

Lisa looked down at her lap and said glumly, "Hey, Dorcas? I'm really sorry I got you involved in this. It was my fault you got hurt."

Dorcas just shrugged nonchalantly. "You didn't hold a wand to my head; I could've let you go in alone, if I wanted to. Besides, you'd be dead without me, so it's a good thing I tagged along." The two girls laughed lightly, before the Slytherin added, "And don't call me Dorcas."

Lisa gave her a bewildered look. "What else am I supposed to call you?"

" _Anything else_. I hate my mother's stupid tradition following! Who wants to have a name like Dorcas?"

Lisa chuckled lightly. "I guess I get that. My grandfather wanted me to be named Elvendork. But everyone else calls you Dorcas, including me! Why is this suddenly an issue?"

Dorcas thought about her answer for several moments. "Because you're not like everyone else. Not to me, at least. And to be fair, most call me Meadowes, anyway. You're the only one that calls me by my first name on regular basis."

Lisa chuckled. "So what should it be then? Doe?" Dorcas scrunched up her nose in distaste. "Dorky?" She glared at her, and Lisa snorted again. "Alright then, how about Cassie?"

"Makes me sound like a dog," Dorcas grumbled. Lisa shot her a perplexed look. "Lassie? You've never heard of it?" Lisa shook her head, while Dorcas sighed and mumbled, "Bloody purebloods."

Just then the Hospital Wing door flung open, and a breathless, windswept James Potter stumbled in. He stopped right next to the bed and leaned on his knees to catch his breath.

"Flitwick... said... you... spiders... forest... okay?"

The two girls exchanged glances and erupted in giggles. Then the door swung open again and Professor McGonagall walked in, followed by Slughorn, Madam Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore.

"Ah, Potter. Good, that saves me the trouble of sending for you," said the Head of Gryffindor house, approaching in broad, brisk steps. "Now tell me the whole story, from the top."

The three kids exchanged glances and James explained to the teachers how he dared Lisa to go into the Forbidden Forest as a joke, and bring him the hair of a Forest Troll. Then Dorcas stepped in to say how she saw Lisa sneaking through the Entrance Hall and asked to join her, then recounted the fight with the Acromantula. By the end of the story Slughorn was ghostly white, wiping the sweat from his brow with a large green handkerchief, McGonagall's mouth was pressed into a line so thin it was almost intelligible, and Dumbledore's electric blue eyes moved from one face to the other, as if looking into their very souls. James, Lisa and Dorcas exchanged an awkward glance.

"I swear Professor, it was just a joke. I didn't think she'd actually—"

"And that is precisely what the problem is, Mister Potter," McGonagall said sharply. "You didn't _think_. That does not absolve you of guilt in the matter! Do you even realize what this 'joke' could have brought on?!"

"It was my fault, Professor," Lisa interrupted. "I wanted to prove I wasn't a coward. And I dragged Dorcas into it, she—"

"That isn't true, I asked to come along!" the Slytherin piped up.

"You did that so you could look after me!" Lisa retorted. "You said it yourself, it was suicide. It was my fault you got hurt, I insisted on going into the forest!" She turned to the Headmaster. "Please, Sir. James didn't know I would really do it, and Dorcas only tried to protect me. If you're going to..." Lisa swallowed thickly and looked down again. "If you're going to expel someone, it should be me. They didn't do anything wrong."

James and Dorcas exchanged a panicked look.

"Professor, you can't expel her, she didn't hurt anyone—"

"Yeah, _I_ dared her; she wouldn't have been in there if it wasn't for me—"

Dumbledore held up his hand to silence them.

"No one said anything about expulsion," the Headmaster said calmly. "However, you three need to learn that there are consequences to your actions."

"That's right!" McGonagall piped up. "All three of you will write a fifty-inch essay about the dangers of the Forbidden Forest, and fifty points will be deducted from your house! Each! Does that seem fair, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore nodded, but his gaze lingered on Dorcas for a moment. "It does. But since we're punishing recklessness... it seems only fair to reward loyalty. I award fifty points to Miss Meadowes for thinking on her feet and rescuing Miss Fawley from the Acromantula. Now, Mr. Potter, I believe you have a Charms class to finish? And it seems a few other students have also forsaken their studies."

He inclined his head towards the door, where a few heads were looking in through the crack. Dumbledore motioned for them to enter, and Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Frank Longbottom, Lily Evans and Alice Prewett stepped inside awkwardly.

"Are you all satisfied?" Dumbledore asked, sounding slightly amused. Lily went all red in the face and nodded, but Frank stepped up.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"I'm awake, you know," Lisa mumbled under her breath. Her cousin threw her a glare, then turned his questioning glance to Madam Pomfrey.

"She'll be perfectly fine," the matron said. "Just make sure she doesn't overexert herself and stays away from Acromantulas for the time being."

The kids snickered and even McGonagall cracked something resembling a smile.

"Now off you go," the Transfiguration professor said. "Miss Fawley needs rest, and you lot need to get back to class. Off with you!"

James threw Lisa one last apologetic glance before he followed the others out the door.

"You too, Meadowes!" McGonagall beckoned.

"I'll come back after class," Dorcas whispered to her friend.

"Bring me books!" Lisa said. The Slytherin cracked a smile and waved, leaving her to lie down in the bed and get some rest.

* * *

oOo

That afternoon Dorcas came back with a whole stack of muggle books labeled _The Darwin Awards_. On the back of each one of them it said:

' _In the spirit of Charles Darwin, the Darwin Awards commemorate individuals who protect our gene pool by making the ultimate sacrifice of their own lives. Darwin Award winners eliminate themselves in an extraordinarily idiotic manner, thereby improving our species' chances of long-term survival._ '


	6. When Potions Go Wrong

**Written for the Hospital Wing challenge.**

 **Prompts:**

"It's not that serious!"

goblet

word restriction: 2,160 (according to Microsoft Word 2013, without the line breaks)

 **Drabble Cub:** creature - ghost

 **Quidditch pitch:** He had never seen such a bright green.

* * *

 **November 1974**

Lisa stared into the swirling turquoise substance in the goblet.

This was probably a bad idea. She shouldn't have to change for a guy to like her, right? He was supposed to like her the way she was, and anyway, if he rejected her she'd be stuck looking in a way she didn't necessarily like.

But on the other hand, she didn't necessarily _dislike_ the idea, either. And it wouldn't be like she was changing herself, it was only the way she looked, just to capture his attention. Afterwards it would be up to her to keep it, he wasn't so shallow as to stay with a girl for her looks.

Lisa's face burned at the thought. She'd never had a boyfriend before, and he was so smart, and charming, and oh, that smile of his...

Her hands cupped the goblet firmly and she drank.

* * *

~O~

Dorcas was dying of boredom.

How anyone could have the will power to still take History of Magic after the O.W.L. level was completely beyond her. Binns' constant droning was numbing her brain, and she actually felt like she was becoming _dumber_ just by listening to him. If it wasn't for Lisa's notes, she would probably fail the class every year.

The Slytherin's bright blue eyes soared above her classmates' heads, wishing she had taken a seat by the window. Sometimes one could see the lake from up here, and the occasional tentacle of the Giant Squid, floating to the surface lazily. She had wondered at times what it must be like to be eaten by the Squid. Lisa had told her the Hogwarts specimen was somewhat tamed, but sometimes the desire to push certain people in there with a steak around their neck (or whatever it was Squids ate) was tempting. Merlin, this class was wearing on her brain. If it had her imagining Isabelle Devereaux, wailing as she was being devoured by a sea monster, she was definitely losing her touch. That harpy deserved a fate much worse than that. Perhaps being fed to a Sphinx. Watching Isabelle wrack her tiny brain to answer a riddle would either be hilarious or extremely boring. But even that would be more entertaining to watch than sitting through this boring class. Hell, right now she would even take watching Hagrid water his pumpkin patch over this horrible, monotone—

Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by a folded piece of parchment that slipped under the door and made a few loops into the air, before landing in her lap. Dorcas looked at it in puzzlement, then took it in her hand. She noticed most of the class was staring, too bored to pay attention to Binns.

"What are you lot looking at?" she whispered. "Get back to fantasizing about killing Binns a second time."

There were a few sniggers, and most of the class returned to their snoring. Dorcas made sure her desk mate, Nataly Prior, was staring unseeingly at the black board before unfolding the parchment. Inside, in Lisa's hand, were the words:

 _Third floor lavatory HELP ME_

The dark-haired girl stared at the parchment. Was Lisa in some sort of trouble? It was unlikely this was an attack; she wouldn't have had time to send notes. Dorcas looked up at Binns. The ghostly professor's eyes were closed as he floated in the air in front of the class, reciting a passage of some ancient poem about a small group of wizards who died defending some pass or whatever in the Middle Ages. Her eyes darted to the door. Binns barely noticed his own death, what were the chances he'd see her sneak out of the classroom?

Dorcas decided that she'd risk it. Hunching low, she made her way between the desks and to the right wall of the classroom, taking cover behind the other students. Some of her classmates gave her weird looks, but the glares she sent back had them turning forward again — no one was exactly eager to incur her wrath. The brunette made it to the door and slowly turned the knob, keeping her eyes on the teacher. As she expected, Binns was way too absorbed in his own voice to notice the petty actions of mere mortals. Dorcas smirked, slipped out the door and silently closed it.

* * *

~O~

Ten minutes later, she stood in front of the third floor girls' lavatory. Since it was the middle of class, she encountered no one on the way there, not even Filch's blasted cat. The Slytherin glanced up and down the corridor to make sure it was empty, then tried the handle. It was locked.

She hesitated for only a second, then lifted her fist and knocked softly. "Lisa? Are you in there?"

Without so much as a response, the door swung open and Dorcas was drawn inside before she even knew what was happening. It slammed behind her loudly, and she found herself facing the polished mirrors above the sinks, blinking at them in confusion. She could see Lisa's reflection in them, waving her wand to lock the lavatory again.

The dark-haired Slytherin turned around. "Are you okay? What's going on?" Lisa slowly turned to face her, and Dorcas' jaw dropped. She had never seen such a bright green.

Lisa's skin was a brilliant shade of emerald, clashing horribly with her brown eyes and honey-blonde hair.

"Is this supposed to be some sort of demonstration of our friendship? I think bracelets would have served the purpose just as well, don't you?" Dorcas quipped, barely keeping in her giggles.

"This isn't funny!" Lisa cried desperately. "I can't get it off!"

Dorcas exploded in a loud laughter.

"Yes, yes, Lisa made an embarrassing mistake, how hilarious," the Gryffindor said flatly. "Now will you stop laughing and _help me_?"

"Fine, fine." Dorcas regained her composure with some difficulty. " _Colovaria!_ " she said, pointing her wand at Lisa. Nothing happened. Dorcas frowned. " _Colovaria!_ " she repeated, but the end result was the same.

"I don't think it's working," Lisa noted.

"Seems that way," Dorcas said, now completely serious. She stepped closer and inspected the skin on her friend's wrist carefully. Tapping it with her wand, she muttered a few more incantations, but nothing worked.

"Now what?" the blonde witch asked, her voice tinted with worry.

"Now we go to the Hospital Wing." Dorcas grabbed Lisa's wrist and pulled her to the door.

The Gryffindor dug her heels in the floor and cried, "It's not that serious! I'm not in any pain, we shouldn't bother Madam Pomfrey with this!"

Dorcas shot her an incredulous look. "Not that serious?! Lisa, you look like the Grinch!" The pureblood tilted her head in puzzlement, and Dorcas racked her head to come up with a wizarding equivalent. "Er... you look like a Kappa."

"I don't care what I look like, I am not leaving this bathroom!" Lisa said adamantly.

"And why not? Are you planning on sleeping in the sinks?"

"They don't look that uncomfortable."

"Lisa!"

The Gryffindor looked down at her feet, her cheeks becoming a darker shade of green. "If I go, she'll ask me how I got this way."

Dorcas stared at her for a few seconds. "And how _did_ you get like this?"

"I..." Lisa played with her red-and-gold tie nervously. "I made a potion. And it sort of went wrong."

The Slytherin let out a deep sigh. "Could have just asked for help, you know. I'm better at Potions than you."

"I know..." Lisa muttered.

"... So? What potion was it?" Dorcas prompted.

"Er... well, I was trying to..." Lisa's voice lowered to a mumble, and Dorcas couldn't make out the rest.

"What?"

"I... I tried to give myself a tan, okay?" Lisa shouted.

The other girl stared at her in bewilderment. "A tan? What for?"

"I..." Lisa's entire face was becoming such a deep green, that it almost turned black. "I heard Fabian say the girls he saw in France this summer were very pretty, and that he likes how tan they were. Unlike... unlike British girls, who are always pale."

Dorcas' eyebrow arched up. "And you tried to look like one of those French tarts?"

"I just... I wanted to ask him to partner with me for the Ancient Runes assignment, and I thought..." Lisa began playing with the tie again.

"So you drank an untested potion just to impress some guy?" Dorcas said, scrunching her nose in disapprovement.

"That's easy for you to say!" Lisa snapped. "You've never had to work to impress guys; they practically fall at your feet! I just... I wanted to stand out from the crowd a little, to get him to notice me."

Dorcas sighed. "Lisa, it's not all just down to looks. It's about how you hold yourself, how you act, the way you smile and talk with a guy. That's what will win him over, not some fake tan."

"I don't know how to do those things," Lisa mumbled under her breath.

Dorcas gave her a skeptical look. "You don't know how to smile and talk?"

"I do, but... it's different when I do it with a guy." The Gryffindor's brown eyes met her friend's blue ones, and the waterfall of words spilled out. "I get all nervous when I talk to guys and I start babbling, and you know how I get when I do that, I just bury the person under a mountain of information; I tried asking Fabian if I could borrow his dictionary once, you know, made up some excuse that my owl pooped on mine or something, I honestly don't remember anymore, and then it just happened, and I started talking about Gwen and somehow ended up describing proper feather care to him, and then he gave me that weird look, and—"

Dorcas placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, making her shut up. "Listen. Those guys that look at you weird aren't for you, anyway. The babbling is just a quirk, it's something that's a part of who you are. One day you'll meet someone who will find the fact that you spill whole books in one breath charming, and he'll love that about you. And that guy won't mind that you're bad at flirting, because you wouldn't have to be good at it for him, he'll like you just the way you are and will never make you feel like you need to change. If Fabian Prewett isn't that someone, and it doesn't sound like he is, then who needs him?"

Lisa gave her a small smile. "But Fabian is really cute."

Dorcas laughed. "He's average. Now let's get going, before—"

But it was too late. A loud, girlish cackle came from the nearest toilet, and the transparent figure of Moaning Myrtle soared above them.

"Ooooh, is that gossip that I hear? Lisa Fawley has a crush on Fabian Prewett, and she turned herself green in a desperate attempt to impress him! I can't wait to tell e-ve-ry-one!" Myrtle giggled happily.

Lisa's face became the pale green of a lima bean.

Dorcas smiled sweetly, though there was a dangerous gleam in her eyes. "Is that so? I think everyone will be far too busy laughing when Peeves comes after you with Mrs. Norris' litter box to care. He has been wondering where you run off to when he stops by your toilet."

Myrtle's face screwed up unpleasantly, as if she were just forced to swallow a whole lemon.

"But you wouldn't really tell him, would you?" she said, completely changing her tune. "I was only joking, of course I wouldn't—"

"Oh, shut up, Myrtle!" Dorcas snapped. "Everyone knows you take pleasure in other people's suffering, but if you open your big mouth about this I'll make sure the entire student body knows you peep in the boys' prefect bath!"

Myrtle gave out a heartbreaking cry and started sobbing. "Everybody always picks on me! Sure, make fun of me for my glasses and my robes and my hair; nobody even stops by my bathroom to talk anymore! They all avoid me because I'm ugly, and fat, and—"

Dorcas rolled her eyes. "Oh, boo hoo, everyone always picks on poor little Myrtle. Maybe if you weren't such a two-faced cow, you'd have more friends."

Myrtle gave out one last, agonizing wail, and dived head-first into the toilet in the second cubical.

"Don't you think you were too hard on her?" Lisa asked hesitantly. She felt bad for Myrtle sometimes; it was true that everyone avoided her bathroom like Severus Snape avoided a shower.

"Please." Dorcas waved dismissively. "It's only Myrtle, she'll get over it. Now let's go, I'll tell Madam Pomfrey that I tried to play a prank on you."

Lisa gave her friend a grateful smile, then undid the locking charm on the door and carefully peeked outside. After making sure the coast was clear, the two girls left the lavatory, ignoring the sad sobs echoing from the drain.


End file.
